Melbourne is poised to double the international attendance record for the global tour of the Australian exclusive exhibition, Pixar: 20 Years of Animation, which closes at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) on Sunday after a record breaking run.
Having already smashed overall crowd figures for the exhibition’s London run, ACMI Director Tony Sweeney called on Melburnians and visitors alike to help ACMI double the London attendance record before the exhibition closes in Melbourne this Sunday.
‘Australia has fallen in love again with the worlds and characters of Pixar through this extraordinary behind the scenes look at the art and artistry behind the movies,’ Tony said. ‘Melbourne’s hottest winter exhibition has been seen by close to 140,000 people since opening in June, more than doubling the previous highest figure for a paid exhibition at ACMI’.
Pixar: 20 Years of Animation features over 500 paintings, concept art, sculptures, and an array of digital installations revealing the intricate, hands-on processes behind Pixar’s computer-generated films, including rare and never before seen artworks including drawings and models from Cars and Pixar’s latest release, Ratatouille.
The exhibition has toured to both Edinburgh in Scotland and the Science Museum in London before heading down under to Melbourne, where it has more than doubled the attendance of Scotland.
‘We all know Melbourne is the home of arts in Australia and its reputation as a truly international arts city is undisputed, so this outstanding result is further testimony to Melburnians love of world class culture presented in its sensational cultural venues,’ Tony said.
Depending on crowds drawn in the closing days of the exhibition this week in Melbourne, ACMI may double the attendances reached at London in 2006.
‘London is a world city, with almost double Melbourne’s population and a massive annual influx of international tourists, so for ACMI to be within a whisker of doubling the Science Museum’s attendance record will be a fantastic way to farewell to Pixar,’ Tony said.
Pixar: 20 Years of Animation attracted 52,000 visitors to Edinburgh (2007) and 75,000 visitors to London (2006). It closes its record breaking run this Sunday, October 14, becoming the most successful paid or free exhibition staged at ACMI.
[release from the ACMI]